NRA's Chris Cox: Left 'Using Tragedy to Restrict Freedom'

Welcoming the tens of thousands of members and attendees to the NRA convention in Houston, TX on May 3, Executive Director of the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action Chris Cox claimed that gun control proponents wish to “use tragedy to restrict freedom.”

We are the moms and dads and sons and daughters of the National Rifle Association–and we want to prevent Newtown, not take advantage of it. That’s what out opponents do. They use tragedy to restrict freedom–and it’s up to us to stop them.

Cox had to pause to allow a 30 second standing ovation die down in the middle of his remarks.

NRA Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre followed Cox with brief remarks of his own, pointing to the “vicious effort to attack the Second Amendment and demonize lawful gun owners.”

“They’ve called gun owners about every rotten, lousy, nasty, evil name in the book, in judgmental tones that quite honestly most Americans resent,” LaPierre declared. “People like you all over this country have stood up to that nonsense, and NRA members… we’ve stared them down.”

LaPierre pointed out that amid all the vitriol, those attacking the NRA have yet to offer serious solutions to prevent another tragedy like the Sandy Hook school shooting. He countered that “the NRA has stepped forward with meaningful solutions that would actually help keep people safer.” These solutions include “protecting schools as much as we protect our jewelry.”